Wildflower Collective - a piano hinged journal with PaperArtsy Products {by Ann Barnes}

Hi everyone, it is Ann here today, and I am so happy to be back with you again.

This year on the blog, we have free reign to do a deep dive into a PaperArtsy product ranges of our choosing. For this post I have been exploring the PaperArtsy Eclectica products (EPA02, PS449). These stamps and stencils were released earlier this year (January 2025) and have a really nice mixed media vibe. I just love using them in backgrounds to create some graphic interest. For this project I have paired them with a few of the PaperArtsy: Ink & The Dog Mini stamps, botanicals in particular. List of PaperArtsy stockist can be found here.

Today I'm looking forward to sharing with you how I used the same stamp to achieve both positive as well as negative image for a background. I also explored different ways to create a watercolored stamped image. Mostly, I enjoyed playing around with these wonderful stamps (and stencil) and created a fun botanical bound journal.

I love incorporating natural elements into my work, and the PaperArtsy Ink & The Dog mini stamps (MN67, MN68, MN69, MN70, MN71) led to the idea of using a natural floral stem to create the binding for my journal.

Using water reactive inks and flooding the inked stamps before pressing to create the image created such a beautiful watercolored look. Depending on the amount of water I spritzed, I could create a watery abstract or a detailed impression. These variations on the same stamp design resulted in a lot of interest!

My original plans for this journal involved focusing on one of the PaperArtsy Ink and the Dog Mini floral stamps, but I had a difficult time choosing just one, so I used all five, giving each design its own signature within the book.

My neighbor has a wildflower garden at the street that I pass each day. When I gathered my supplies to create this journal, I remembered seeing some of the same flowers in the garden. These were predominantly purple and so the color scheme was born. When lavender and iris flowers were also in the stamp collection, I knew that this color scheme was meant to be. While any type of water reactive medium could be used, I focused on primarily the Ranger Distress palette.

When making a handmade book, one of the initial steps is deciding the size. This includes the number of pages. Since this was my first attempt at making a piano hinged book, I wanted to keep it fairly small. This also worked well since I was using the mini stamps. Each Signature of the book contains three folded pieces of standard watercolor paper. There are five signatures, one for each of the flower designs.

I wanted the first page of each section to be a bold representation of the floral image. For this I used Ranger Distress watercolor pencils. I wet the tip of the pencil and added the dense color to the stamp. I then spritzed the "colored" rubber stamp with water and then created the impression. A couple of the designs are narrower than the others, like the lavender; for these flower designs, I did multiple impressions.

With all of the signatures having a designated flower, I was excited to fill up the additional pages. I noticed how differently the images appear depending on the amount of spritzed water used and decided that I would love to experiment with that on the next pages, only using the stamps with inks and water.

To complete the remainder of the first pages of each signature, I chose one of the graphic design stamps from PaperArtsy Eclectica Stamp Set 02 (EPA02). Wanting to keep with the boldness of the watercolor pencil impression, I inked up the image and added random marks onto the paper. I find it easiest to do this type of stamping without a stamp block. By simply using the stamp loosely in your hand, it is simple to press only on a small area, and to rotate the image freely.

Within each signature, the second pages contain my experiments with watering down the inked stamp. Using Ranger Distress Ink in the same colors that I chose for the water color pencil technique, I added ink to the rubber stamp and then spritzed with water and made an impression.

I also did second (and third) generation stamping, with additional spritzes of water. I continued playing with the water amounts and stamping images all across the page and also on the reverse side. I love how some of the images appear very abstract, with only a subtle indication of the flower type. I could not decide which images I preferred, the crisper versions or the flowy versions. I continued my exploration with each of the floral stamp designs, one per signature.

When considering what I wanted to do on the third pages of each signature, I thought it would be fun to create an embossed resist of the graphic mixed media designs, so the pages would be reverse coloration. For this, I used clear embossing ink and clear embossing powder. When the powder is heat set, and ink is added to the page, the stamped image appears as the original color of the paper.

I randomly placed the mixed media graphic stamp onto the page, sprinkled embossing powder onto the ink then heat set it. Then, using a coordinating color of Ranger Distress Ink to the ones used on the flower petals, I inked up the page.

Note that when the three sheets are folded together into a signature, the floral images will appear adjacent to a page with a different design.

I especially love how the pages look abutted to one another when the three sheets are folded into each other to create the book.

With all of the pages in each signature complete, it is time to create the covers. I had a sheet of natural handmade paper that contained purple flower petals, and decided it would be the perfect cover material. Using the PaperArtsy Stencil (PS449), Ranger Distress Ink and a stencil brush, I added random areas of soft pattern. To achieve the soft effect, be sure to choose a color that is not bold, yet is different from the overall background. I used Victorian Velvet, a subtle pinkish purple that coordinated with the different purples and magenta of my signatures.

There are many tutorials online for how to make piano hinge books. This was the first time I have attempted to use this type of binding, and surprisingly, it was not too difficult. I suggest making a sample before using your finished signatures to ensure it all goes together well. I also suggest perhaps using something a bit more durable to secure the pieces together. My vision was to use these lavender stems and while I did make it work, I am not sure how well it will last when the book is opened and closed a lot. I do however, love the way it turned out!

I love the finished project, especially with the vellum piece that adorns the cover. I used the distress watercolor pencil technique for the intense colored floral stamping and then stamped the graphic dots on the reverse side of the vellum. A stamp from Alison Bomber's PaperArtsy Set 21 (EAB21) onto the handmade, stenciled cover provides the perfect verse for inspiration.

I imagine this book being used for a journal where I can keep wildflowers picked on my nature walks, with notes or thoughts scribbled beside them.

I am hoping that perhaps you have been inspired to create your own wildflower collective handmade book, or even simply to play and experiment with creating watery abstract images from you stamps, either way it's always a good day to get creative.

Thanks for stopping by,

Ann

Blog: aksbarchitectCREATES

Facebook: Ann Sullivan Barnes

Instagram: @aksbarchitect

June 2025 - With 3 Things - Hoop wall hanging {by Robin Riley}

Hi everyone!

This is Robin Riley (Robin Riley) with you tonight. I was invited as a guest blogger by the PaperArtsy team and I am so very excited to take the “With 3 Things” challenge. This is my very first time doing this and I had such a good time creating this project!

For this feature on the PaperArtsy Blog, 3 identical items are sent to 3 members of the PaperArtsy blogging team. Typically, we receive a stamp, a stencil and some paint. We have no clue what PaperArtsy HQ is going to send. The whole idea of this challenge is to do something crafty in our personal style with these 3 items.

Let me share with you what I received. The stamp set is  Allison Bomber’s EAB 30. Wish you could have heard my happy squeal when I first saw this! I also received a package of printed tissue, Backgrounds PT07 and to top this off I received the brand new Mattint color Bellflower. Again, there was a little squeal!

Three were also a few freebies in my package (this was the third squeal!) from other Alison Bomber and JoFY sets, that I decided to include in my project.

 

I really wanted to create something different than my usual cards. I hope you find this unique. So, looking through my craft closet (which would probably make you squeal), I came upon an embroidery hoop and that got my wheels turning! I decided to use it as the base for a framed and layered piece.

To prepare the main piece of paper that would fill the hoop, I first used the hoop to lightly trace a circle onto a piece of watercolor paper. I then used my water brush to apply water around the circle to softened it. I carefully tore the paper along the waterline, trying to keep close to the drawn outline. I always teared towards me, not away.

I first applied a coat of Mattint Foxglove to the circle. OH no ….too pink for me. I decided the tissue paper was going to rescue me. Quickly I applied a piece from PT07 while the Mattint was still wet.

Oh geez, it's still too pink for me! So one more try to save this! I decided to add a layer of Fresco Finish acrylic paint in Chalk, which is opaque to knock down the colour. Finally, a result I was happy with! I let this dry naturally before I moved on to the next step.

Time to begin the stamping with Alison Bomber's set EAB30. I wanted a lighter color for this, something similar to a watercolor effect so the next step was to stamp the beautiful image of the violets onto the smooth side of the watercolor paper in VersaFine Morning Mist. Then another tear around this image. I love doing this to watercolor paper. The results are imperfect, yet so perfect for me!

Using a small scrap piece of watercolor paper, I also used the round ephemera stamp from the set. This time I stamped in VersaFine Clair Morning Mist. I wanted a more detailed image and I wanted to eventually be able to paint over it so I needed an ink that resist water. I made sure to use the smoothest side of the paper for stamping.

I just love the Shakespeare quote from this set (EAB30). To stamp it, I used a combination of inks, VersaFine Clair Nocturne and Morning Mist. I really did not want a full on black, so I thought the Morning Mist would tone it down. I cut around this quote, instead of tearing, to give it a more finished look.

Slowly things started to come together. I laid out the pieces….hmmm this didn’t feel right yet!

Another Alison Bomber set to the rescue! This time EAB40. I stamped some solid images of the grass on the background using VersaFine Morning Mist. I also added some splatters of the Distress Oxide Hickory Smoke over all of the pieces. This is now starting to feel right to me!

Now it was time for some real fun. I love using the Mattints to add subtle color. Here I used my water brush to add Bellflower and Fern. Using a dotting tool, I added Acid Mattint dots to the centers of the violets.

The pieces needed to pop more. Using the Distress Oxide Hickory Smoke, I edged the violet piece. I ran a black Sharpie around the edge of the quote. I happened to find a piece of gray scrap to back the quote too. That’s what was needed! Now everything was coming together for me and it was time to assemble.

First I decided to paint the wooden embroidery hoop with the Mattint Shadow. I applied 3 coats, drying in between each coat. To decorate it more, I used a piece of the tissue paper again (Printed Tissue Backgrounds PT07). I took some gray washi tape and adhered it to the back of the tissue to be my guide.

I cut the washi tape from the tissue and glued it to the outer ring of the embroidery hoop.

I really wanted to add another element to this design and I wanted some type of texture, a different material. I felt like the picture needed to be grounded. So what to use? Oh, guess what, recently I made a unique element using cheese cloth and some Fern colored stencil butter from The Crafter’s Workshop. I had also put some PaperArtsy Rusting Powder into the mix.

My go to adhesive for fabrics and heavier elements is Beacon’s 3 in 1 glue. It has never failed me! I used this to attach the cheese cloth along with the hoop. I placed a heavy book on the top and let everything dry. This is exactly what I was hoping for!

I thought another element to finish this project was needed. With the extra stamps I received, I created 3 tags. A little Bellflower Mattint and tissue created the perfect little trio! Finally a little bit of scrap yarn tied around the top of the hoop just seemed to finish this project perfectly.

I really hope you enjoyed seeing me create this fun wall hanging from an embroidery hoop. The products I received sure did make this easier and fun! Thank you PA HQ for giving me this opportunity!

Robin X

Instagram: robin.riley.77

Facebook: Robin Riley

June 2025 - With 3 Things - Vintage Frame {by Victoria Wilding}

Hi friends, 

It's Victoria, from VictoriaWildingCreates, with you for another 'With 3 Things' challenge post. 

For this feature on the PaperArtsy Blog 3 identical items are sent to 3 members of the PaperArtsy Blogging team. Typically we will receive a stamp, a stencil and a couple of Fresco Paints.

We have no clue what PaperArtsy HQ is going to send, the whole idea of this challenge is to do something crafty in our personal style with these 3 items. We can incorporate other PA products into the mix if we feel it is necessary.

So let's take a look at what I received from PA HQ ...

I squealed with delight when I saw these goodies! Text, flowers and purple… three of my favourite things. There’s so many creative options with these products, so it was a bit tricky deciding which direction to take, but then I remembered a frame I bought months ago (from a UK shop called The Range), with the intention of framing some art for the house. Needless to say it was still sat in a drawer forgotten, so I decided to make some faux vintage frame art ...... let's take a closer look.

I love relatively clean and simple designs, but you can still pack a punch with lots of visual texture, so that was always the direction I was going to take. I started out with a small rectangle of white cotton fabric and added some text from the Documents Printed Tissue (PT07) using some clear drying glue. I also teased out some threads at the edges of the material for extra interest. 

Next I took a piece of 6x4” Kraft card to use as the main background piece, and added some text stamping using the verse stamp from The Violets Edition set (EAB30) with white embossing powder. I chose the classic look of the white text against the Kraft card to tie in with the white fabric and the text from the printed tissue, 

I then secured the fabric in place using double sided tape, to prevent wet glue soaking through the fabric and creating wrinkles.

I wanted to add one of the violet stamps next, so I stamped out the smaller image onto white card using Black Archival Ink, so I could add colour without the image smudging.

Then I used Mattint in the colour Bellflower to colour the flowers. The transparency of these Fresco Tint’s are perfect for painting over stamped images without obscuring the detail of the stamped image.

Before adding Mattint’s in Greenstone and Fern (MT03) for the stems and leaves. 

I fussy cut the flower and glued it to the bottom right hand corner of the fabric and card. 

Finally, I wanted one last element to tie everything together and decided on some white splatters using an acrylic paint pen.

I love the simple, elegant look of the finished piece, and whilst I’m using this in a frame, it could easily be used as a card design too.

And the distressed white and brown of the frame, matches the piece perfectly. 

It’s going to look lovely sat on my ladder shelf, together with some candles and dried flowers.

I hope I’ve inspired you to have a go at using your PaperArtsy products to make some art for your home.

Until next time, wishing you a happy, creative week! 

Victoria 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/victoriawildingcreates

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